Sir Henry John Newbolt

Born in 1862, he was educated at Clifton College and Corpus Christi College, Oxford, and worked as a barrister before literature became the center of his public reputation. He wrote poetry, fiction, history, and essays, and became especially famous for patriotic verse that was widely read in Britain.

His best-known poem, Vitai Lampada, fixed his name in literary history, but his writing ranged beyond school and battlefield ideals. He also took an active part in public discussions about education and English literature, and his 1921 report on the teaching of English became an important document in that field.

Knighted in 1915, he remained a prominent literary figure into the early 20th century. He died in 1938, leaving behind work that is still remembered both for its energy and for what it reveals about the values of its time.